1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to, inter alia, an automobile floor mat and a method for manufacturing the same. More specifically, the preferred embodiments relate to an automobile floor mat enhanced in sound absorption performance and sound insulation performance and a method preferably used for manufacturing the same.
In this specification and claims, the wording of “melt flow rate” means a melt flow rate measured at a test temperature of 190° C. and a test load of 2.12N according to JIS K7210.
2. Related Art
Conventionally, a floor mat is disposed on a floor in an automobile for the purpose of, e.g., obtaining good step feeling and preventing transmission of vibrations from the floor side. For example, in a floor carpet enhanced in sound insulation performance against noise introduced into a passenger compartment from a floor side (e.g., engine room), it is known to line a rear side of a carpet backing material with a compound sheet containing inorganic filler in thermoplastic resin (see, e.g., Japanese Unexamined Laid-open Patent Publication No. H10-276888).
Furthermore, in an automobile floor carpet enhanced in sound absorption performance against noise introducing into a passenger compartment from, e.g., a roof, doors and windows to maintain quietness in an automobile, it is known that a surface skin layer and a felt-like sound absorbing member are integrally bonded via an air-permeable adhesive layer (see, e.g., Japanese Examined Laid-open Utility Model Publication No. H01-7636). Noise introducing into a passenger compartment via a roof, doors, windows, etc., reaches the felt-like sound absorbing member via the air-permeable adhesive layer to be absorbed by the felt-like sound absorbing member.
In the meantime, in recent years, in order to further enhance the comfort in an automobile, it has been strongly demanded to further enhance the quietness in an automobile. In the former sound insulation floor carpet, however, the sound absorption performance against noise introducing into a passenger compartment from, e.g., a roof, doors and windows was insufficient. In the latter sound absorbing floor carpet, the sound insulation performance against noise introducing into a passenger compartment from a floor side (e.g., engine room) was insufficient. Thus, in conventional automobile floor carpets, excellent quietness in a passenger compartment could not be attained since either the sound absorption performance or the sound insulation performance was insufficient. Under the circumstances, it has been demanded to develop an automobile floor carpet excellent in sound absorption performance and also excellent in sound insulation performance.
The description herein of advantages and disadvantages of various features, embodiments, methods, and apparatus disclosed in other publications is in no way intended to limit the present invention. For example, certain features of the preferred embodiments of the invention may be capable of overcoming certain disadvantages and/or providing certain advantages, such as, e.g., disadvantages and/or advantages discussed herein, while retaining some or all of the features, embodiments, methods, and apparatus disclosed therein.